The Democratic Seven

If you didn’t see this under breaking news on the TU’s home page: John Aretakis, the North Greenbush attorney known for his many lawsuits against the Catholic Church, says he’ll announce his run as a Democrat for the 21st Congressional seat next week.

The entry of Aretakis, 47, into the race would bring the number of Democrats vying for the seat to seven. Two Republicans are eyeing the seat, too.

Aretakis, who has filed numerous lawsuits against the church on behalf people who say they were molested by priests, was fined by two federal judges last year for filing baseless lawsuits. He has appealed those sanctions.

Aretakis has a primary residence in Manhattan, according to his spokesman, Mark Lyman, but will have to permanently move to the North Greenbush house where his wife, Nia Cholakis, lives. (as several readers have noted, the law requires only residency in the state, not the district)